Hamilton Academical is still defaulting on pension contributions while the club splashes the cash on a host of new signings, Lanarkshire Live Sport can reveal.
Letters seen by Lanarkshire Live Sport show the club has been reported to the Pensions Regulator for the fourth month in a row. The latest failure relates to a period when the new regime headed by Rob Edwards, who took over on January 3, 2026, was at the helm.
The latest letter, dated June 22, 2026, states: "We're writing to let you know that your employer has not paid contributions for you for February. If your employer does not make payment and contributions become overdue by more than 90 days (3 months) we will report them to the Pensions Regulator."
SPFL Lifts Transfer Embargo Amid Concerns
Despite Accies continuing to default on pension contributions, the SPFL has lifted its transfer embargo which it enforced last season for multiple rule breaches, including remuneration and tax defaults.
Lanarkshire Live Sport is aware of concerns from clubs across the SPFL who are becoming frustrated at playing by the rules themselves, but being outbid by a club which has recently breached SPFL rules under both the previous and current regimes.
In May 2026, Accies also failed to pay some of its players on time, while some of them were underpaid. Again, SPFL rules dictate this to be a sanctionable offence.
The SPFL has been contacted to confirm if it is aware of Hamilton Accies' continued pensions issues which, by its own rules, is a breach and would bring sanctions. It has been contacted on three previous occasions and declined to comment.
Club's Financial Turnaround and New Signings
In a club statement last week on their transfer ban being lifted, Accies said: "We would like to place on record our thanks to the SPFL and the SFA for their cooperation and assistance throughout this process."
Just a few months ago, Hamilton Accies were on the brink and battling numerous threats of administration on a seemingly weekly basis. The club also had debts in the region of £5 million when Mr Edwards and his Morley Sports Management group took over in January 2026.
But now, the club is forking out on two-year deals for players who would have been well out of their reach mere months ago even if they hadn't been under a transfer embargo. The club did receive an 'undisclosed fee' from Dunfermline Athletic last week for the sale of Oli Shaw, who had a year left on his deal at Accies.
Amid the club telling supporters at a fan forum last month that they are halving the wage bill, a host of two-year deals have been handed out to the likes of Andy Ryan, Dom Thomas, Taylor Sutherland and Kalvin Orsi while the highest paid player at the club last season, Barry Maguire, remains on the books.
Accies have been able to entice their new players to New Douglas Park with deals that a number of SPFL rivals have been unable to match, leaving those clubs scratching their heads.
HMRC Payment and Accounts Discrepancy
Accies did stump up the cash to HMRC last month after they were served with a winding up petition. The club initially tried to negotiate a payment plan, but were forced to cough up the whole sum, understood to be in excess of £90,000.
After that, the club again praised the SPFL, saying: "The club would once again like to place on record its sincere thanks to the SPFL for its continued support, engagement and cooperation as we worked through the existing legacy issues."
Last week, after being served with a compulsory strike-off notice in April, the club's parent company finally published its 2025 accounts. A mystery jump in the value of assets from just £705 in 2024 to £1.3 million last year was reported in their submission to Companies House.
Lanarkshire Live Sport has been banned by Hamilton Academical since January when Mr Edwards took the reins. This came after we revealed the extent of the financial crisis facing the club when he took control. We are therefore unable to obtain comment from the club on the issue, although they have responded to previous press reports via club statements.
